Emergency-cistern for fire-engines.



E. OSULLIVAN. EMERGENCY GISTEEN Eon EINE ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17,1Q'6.-:

, Patented Oct. 20,1908.

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E. OSULLIVAN. y EMERGENCY OISTERN FOB. FIRE ENGINES.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

APPLIATION FILED N0V.1'7l 1906. 901,733. 8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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E. OSULLIVAN. EMHRG'ENGY GISTERN FOB PIRE ENGINES.

APPLUATION FILED NOV. 17, 1906. Oct.

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' @Wam EDWARD OSULLIVAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

EMERGENCY-CISTERN FOR FIRE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. '20, 1908.

Application :led November 17, 1906. l Serial No. 343,802.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD OSULLIVAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Emergency-Cisterns for F ire-Engines, of which the following is a specification. i

This invention has for its object to provide a storage-cistern or reserve-supply of water from which a lire-engine may draw in an emergency, in the event of accident to the hydrant or the street-main.

The invention is designed to be an auxiliary to the street hydrant or fire-plug; and in addition thereto it is designed to furnish a temporary supply of water to the neighborhood for household purposes, when the local water-supply is cut off for the time'by injury to the mains or water-pipes.

To these ends and objects chiefly my said invention Acomprises certain novel parts and combination of parts, producing what I have termed an emergency-cistern, as an auxiliary to the water-supply system of a city for the use of the fire department, as hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

The following description explains at length the nature of my said invention, and the manner in which I proceed to construct, produce and carry out the same; reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Figure l of the drawings is a sectional view of a cistern embodying my invention, showing the cistern located under a street or roadway, and having a permanent connection with the water-main for filling it with water. The parts are shown generally in section, with the exception of the suctionpipes and the suction-hose of the enginewhich is attached to one of the pipes-and the hand-pump that is provided for drawing water from the cistern for washing or drinking purposes. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on an enlarged scale of the upper portion of the cistern, showing connections for the suction-hose of two engines with the same coupled for use, and the handpump set in position for use. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section through the coupling chamber of the cistern. Fig.'4 is a plan or top view of Fig. Il. Figs. 5 and 6 are topviews of coupling-chambers having connections for three and four engines, respectively.

The covers that close the chamber are omitted in Fig. 5; but are indicated in Fig. 6.

The various parts of the structure are designated herein as the storage-chamber a, the coupling-chamber b, the suction-pipes el, the hand-pump j', and the water-supply pipe g, connecting the storage-chamber with the street-main.

The storage-chamber a is formed by cementing, or otherwise finishing the walls and the bottom of an excavation in the street or roadway in a suitable manner to render the same water-tight, where the character of the soil or other conditions may require it. Or the chamber can be formed by sinking a water-tight tank in the ground to a proper depth to bring the top below the surface of the street. In the top of this chamber when it is so formed or built in the ground a circular casting having a flat bottom 2 and a standing-rim 3 is permanently set and fixed in masonry or concrete, with the top of its rim a little below the level of the surface. The space inclosed by the standing-rim forms a chamber' to contain and inclose the coupling-ends of the suction-pipes, the handpumps, and the other parts and connections.

A removable cover composed preferably of two parts or sections 12 hinged together at 13 closes the top of the coupling-chamber. A beam or supporting bridge-piece ll held at the ends in sockets l5 on the rim 3 and extending diametrically across the top of the chamber supports the cover along the line of the hinges. Additional supports of the same character can be provided when the size of the covers may require support at other parts.

It is considered `better to have the covers and the supports removable, and not permanently attached to the top of the chamber.

The plate 2 is provided with a central opening 2 that is closed by'a plate 2 removably secured to the top by bolts. The suction pipes Z are secured to and extend through the plate 2 and are each provided with an angular extension above the topplate turning outwardly or towards the rim 8, in line with an inclined groove or depression m extending in a radial line from the chamber in the surface of the street, or in the pavement adjacent to the standing-rim of the chamber. At such point the standingrim 3 is cut down in line with the depressed portion, so that the suction-hose X of the engine when coupled to the suction-pipe will extend in a straight line from the angular bend vof the suction pipe and, at a proper angle to be connected to the engine. The inclined depressions m are closed by extensions 17 provided on the cover for that purpose. These extensions 17 may be composed of separate pieces, or they may be permanent parts of the covers.

On the end of each suction-pipe CZ is a coupling 6 andv also a hand-valve 20 of any wellknown construction; each pi'pebeing thus provided with a valve for turning on or shutting off the supply at will separately of the others. Usually, all the suction-pipes (Z are carriedv into and attached toy a single strainer 7) atr the bottom, of the-cistern, as seen in Fig. l.

Separate connections for more thanl two enginesI are providedy by arranging the suctionfpipes as illustrated: in Figs. 5 and4 G, where three suction-pipes are seen in one, and four in th'e other.

A small hand-pump ismounted on the bottom-plate 2 andi is connected by a small service-pipe 23 with the supply of; water below; the end'ofrvthe pipe 23 being-fixed inthe strainer box p. This pump furnishes aconvenient means fordrziwingl water from the cisterninsmall quantities for household use inthe event. of 'an accident tothe street-main wlpereby the house supply is temporarily cut o The pump-barrel is madeintwo sections- Acistern is filled fromthe street-ma-in is provided with a hand-valve /z the stein of which is carried upward through the bottom-plate 2 and isfitted. with a hand-wheel for readily operating the valve from the coupling-chamber.

Having thus described my invention, I clainil. In a cistern, the combination with the water reservoir, a top for closing the said reservoir, a coupling chamber above the top,` a cover for closing the said coupling chamber,a suction pipe, a branch pipe leading from the coupling chamber to a point below the water inthe reservoir., means for connecting the suction pipe with an engine hose or the like, and a foldable pump connected to the branch pipe arranged to be folded down when the said cover is closed, substantially as setI forth.

2. In a cistern, the combination of a water reservoir, a coupling chamberprovided with a depressed portion extending outwardly therefrom, a suction pipe extending from a point below the water in the reservoirto the coupling chamber-,the said pipe being bent at its upper end so as to lie in a line substantially parallel with the pla-ne of the depressed portion, a cover for closing the top of the coupling chamber, and a wing on the said cover forv closing the said depressed portion, substantially as set forth.

3, Ina cisternthe combination-of a water reservoir, a coupling chamber, provided with a depressed portion extending outwardly therefrom, and a suction pipe extending from a point below the water in the reservoir to the coupling chamber, the said pipe being bent at its upper end so as to lie in a line substantially pa 'allel with the plane of the depressedportion, substantially as set forth., Y

In testimony whereof` I have signed my name-to this speciiicationin the presence'of two subscribing witnesses.

EDIVARD OSULLIVAN.

Witnesses NL OSULLivAN, M. REGNER. 

